ASA Bennies

[skootertrash]

Are you telling me there is no heath insurance? Just 2 grand that they put into a HCSA for you to spend on health care? Please god tell me thats not true!

 

[COOPERVANE]

Are you telling me there is no heath insurance? Just 2 grand that they put into a HCSA for you to spend on health care? Please god tell me thats not true!

No. We currently have a PPO as well as the HDCP. Last year they tried to switch us to a HD insurance plan ONLY. They forced it down the SKYW pilots throats but because our contract STIPULATES that we must have a PPO, they backed down. They tried to sell us HARD, and like PBS they sugar coated the negative. It may work for some, but not me and many others.

They actually came out with a memo that listed several benefits of the HD plan. One being:

1) "Since the employee will be paying out of their own pocket it will make them aware of escalating health care costs"

REALLY? Thank you SO MUCH for making me aware of my escalating health care costs!! I think they just cut and pasted the online insurance benefits brochure that was really only meant for Mgmt. eyes.

Many feel that they will push the HD plan hard since it saves them so much money. They might try and up the annual contribution during negotiations. It will be ANOTHER concession to be negotiated. Expressjet guys take note.

 

[COOPERVANE]

Along the same subject. When are we gonna stop funding the competiveness of our company with our benefits?

The cost of EVERYTHING, fuel, planes, etc is rising. Instead of raising ticket prices they are raping everybody's contracts.

I actually had a woman sit next to me yesterday during my DH who bitched about her $139 flight from ATL to CVG. When I told her it was a bargain compared to what it cost in the 70's, she looked dumbfounded. The Walmartization of the world is going to be our downfall I fear.

I'm so sick of it!!

 

[wms]

Health; $2500 deductible then 20% (2500/20) after that. Max out of pocket is $6000 annually with a 2000000 life-time max benefit. It could be better, but we're a family of 5 with average health expenses and I'm as happy with it as I was with the PPO. I always negotiate the bill down 15 or 20 percent since I pay it in full up front with the HSA. I'd say it's not as good as you have at Xjet, but better than they have at SKYW.

The best way to do HDHPs is to have a little higher premium and a 2500/0 policy so you pay nothing after the deductible. Hopefully the union works on this for our next (combined) contract. I've been looking around and may go outside for a policy like that on my own. I have relatives that have done that and have really good insurance at less than I pay through the company.

Our life insurance isn't as good as yours. I have 100k with the company and went outside for the rest. Life insurance at places like Zillow.com and selectquote.com are better than SKYW will ever offer front-line employees.

The thing about employee benefits in the US is they were originally intended as incentives to attract better workers, and so they were top-notch. They then became considered rights as all social classes developed feelings of entitlement. When the economy tanked and employers wanted cheap labor instead of good labor, companies targeted benefits as a way to lower overhead.

I'm finding there are all sorts of sources for finding benefits outside of my employer. And like everything else, I trust myself to do it right more than I trust the pencil pushers and desk jockeys at any company. With the direction healthcare and all sorts of benefits have gone in this country I think there will be many more and better options on the open market. It's how our grandparents and my parents did it and they had it better than us.

Travel; we're below mainline employees, family and retirees and above buddy passes. But unlike the other DCI and UAX carriers we have priority on our own planes (DAL and UAL). We pay an annual fee of $200 for each carrier you choose to have benefits with (unlimited) and on UAL you pay extra only for 1st class.

 

[skootertrash]

Health; $2500 deductible then 20% (2500/20) after that. Max out of pocket is $6000 annually with a 2000000 life-time max benefit. It could be better, but we're a family of 5 with average health expenses and I'm as happy with it as I was with the PPO. I always negotiate the bill down 15 or 20 percent since I pay it in full up front with the HSA. I'd say it's not as good as you have at Xjet, but better than they have at SKYW.

The best way to do HDHPs is to have a little higher premium and a 2500/0 policy so you pay nothing after the deductible. Hopefully the union works on this for our next (combined) contract. I've been looking around and may go outside for a policy like that on my own. I have relatives that have done that and have really good insurance at less than I pay through the company.

Our life insurance isn't as good as yours. I have 100k with the company and went outside for the rest. Life insurance at places like Zillow.com and selectquote.com are better than SKYW will ever offer front-line employees.

The thing about employee benefits in the US is they were originally intended as incentives to attract better workers, and so they were top-notch. They then became considered rights as all social classes developed feelings of entitlement. When the economy tanked and employers wanted cheap labor instead of good labor, companies targeted benefits as a way to lower overhead.

I'm finding there are all sorts of sources for finding benefits outside of my employer. And like everything else, I trust myself to do it right more than I trust the pencil pushers and desk jockeys at any company. With the direction healthcare and all sorts of benefits have gone in this country I think there will be many more and better options on the open market. It's how our grandparents and my parents did it and they had it better than us.

Travel; we're below mainline employees, family and retirees and above buddy passes. But unlike the other DCI and UAX carriers we have priority on our own planes (DAL and UAL). We pay an annual fee of $200 for each carrier you choose to have benefits with (unlimited) and on UAL you pay extra only for 1st class.

Thanks for the info.... So let me get this straight. If you go in for surgery and you pay out of pocket 2500, then 20% up to 6K? So for doctors visits etc you have to reach the 2500 bucks first before the insurance kicks in? Are there any other options?


We have a 0(zero) deductable plan and then we pay 10% up to 2500 per person or 5000 per family.

 

[skootertrash]

Along the same subject. When are we gonna stop funding the competiveness of our company with our benefits?

The cost of EVERYTHING, fuel, planes, etc is rising. Instead of raising ticket prices they are raping everybody's contracts.

I actually had a woman sit next to me yesterday during my DH who bitched about her $139 flight from ATL to CVG. When I told her it was a bargain compared to what it cost in the 70's, she looked dumbfounded. The Walmartization of the world is going to be our downfall I fear.

I'm so sick of it!!

Thank you!!! Someone gets it! Although it is unrealistic to expect ASA to raise ticket prices because they are not an airline, they're a lift provider, it is reasonable to expect they treat their employees industry standard with wages, bennefits and work rules. Comair set the bar, XJT held the bar......where is it going now?

 

[zawillif]

I'm very happy with my HSA plan--of course I'm also single. Its great if you can go the first 2 years without going to the doctor much. If you can do that then you're set. However for most people with families this is not realistic. By the time I have a family I'll have a very nice sum of tax free money to pull from. As far as rising health costs, if everyone in the whole country switched to an HSA plan health care costs would drop dramatically. Again though, unrealistic.

 

[crj567]

I'm very happy with my HSA plan--of course I'm also single. Its great if you can go the first 2 years without going to the doctor much. If you can do that then you're set. However for most people with families this is not realistic. By the time I have a family I'll have a very nice sum of tax free money to pull from. As far as rising health costs, if everyone in the whole country switched to an HSA plan health care costs would drop dramatically. Again though, unrealistic.

I believe there are situations where you have to come out of pocket almost $10k for a family in a year. I remember a mechanic writing about how his situation was like that. He has a wife on some really expensive cancer meds and they come out of pocket for the max each year. Not a bad plan if the company kicked in something like 5k to 7k, but at the current levels, you could wind up in big trouble, fast.

The only guys this makes sense for are those who are young, single, and who don't own a house. If you don't fit in this category, you can wind up in big trouble.

 

[crj567]

Once again CRJ speaks as though he knows all.

The HSA is good for many, but not all.

I think we should all add CRJ to our ignore list.

Yeah, drop us a line when you have some major medical condition strike. The HSA is great if you never get sick, don't have a family, and have the good fortune of never getting in any accident.

Of course, we are not all created equal. I suppose that you could also think it is a great deal if daddy left you a sweet trust fund-right, champ? Some folks do this job for fun, not for profit.

 

[wms]

Thanks for the info.... So let me get this straight. If you go in for surgery and you pay out of pocket 2500, then 20% up to 6K? So for doctors visits etc you have to reach the 2500 bucks first before the insurance kicks in? Are there any other options?


We have a 0(zero) deductable plan and then we pay 10% up to 2500 per person or 5000 per family.

You got it right. You pay 100% to $2500 and then 20%. Max out of pocket is $6000/year. This is for medical. Dental and vision are traditional plans, basically one free visit and 20% for dental, and one free visit plus a percentage for vision.

Maybe our new XE MEC can work on this.